The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-09-30
SELECT STORY.
THE WALLED IN ROOM.

near the man stood woman with q
bonnet with great white wings on the
sides, holding IN her hand a moist COM
press. The room was plain and neat,
with clean white walls. On table,
covered with great napkin of yellow
linen, / noted number of strange OBJ
jects-rows of little yials, and brown
earthern jar filed with bits of ice.
Through the muslin curtains, which |
belied out from the window in the |
balmy air, l could see patch of the
blue sky aud the tops of green trees
bending lightly in the breeze. Where
was II 1t seemed like long dream
that had had; my head felt empty,
my limbs ached, and could not think.
The man gently lifted my head, and
gave me few drops of some liquid,
which | swallowed with avioity.
"Well, Mr.. Furniss," he said, show
do you feel7"
"Eh, what?' I cried. "Where am II"
"You are in my house, my dear sir,
and we shall take good care of you.
Now" he added, replacing my head on
the pillow, "be quiet and 60 to sleep"
l gazed at him for long time, and
all at once l recognized DIR. Bertram,
the celebrated specialist in insanity. A
shudder passed through my frame.
Why was l in DR.. Bertram's hospital
instead of in my home, near Phoenix
Park, with my books, my herbs and
my microscopes around me? His hos
pital was for mad people!-and that
sister of charity, those walls, that bowl
of ice-my God, must be mad! But
why? How?
"How long have l been here?" ask
ed, after time.
"For four weeks, Mr.. Furniss. But
you must be quiet and sleep. Now do
not try to talk"
For a month! Was it possible?
What had happened? But even as l
asked myself these questions little by
litrle | went off TO sleep, and l saw, IN
billowy meadow, road covered with
blood and bordered on either side with
monstrous microscopes shaped like
trees, a road on which two little girls
played at pitch and catch with sever
ed head, while DR.. Bertram, comically
bonneted with religious cap, rode as
tride of dead body, which reared and
pranced and kicked till he could scarce
keep his seat.
The next morning l was better, and
day by day improved, though that
horrible nightmare came to me each
anight But it grew less and less dis
tinct, and in few weeks it almost
ceased to trouble me.
One evening the doctor, whom had
not seen during the day, seated himself
, near my bed.
"Well," said he, feeling my pulse,
| "you are doing famously. Ill have
you out, as good as new, in few days.
But you've had close shave. 1t has
been one of the prettiest cases of cere-
bral congestion l ever handled-a
beautiful case. Why it's wonder
you are alive now. Tell me, how is
your memory; can you remember what
happened before you were brought
here?"
y 'I-I don't know, / cannot think
| have passed through something fear
full. What it is, cannot say. From
the faint gimmer of recollection tina
comes to me, l have the sensation OF
having been dead-murdered Oh, il
is frightful. My brain is weak yet
Then, ths child, pretty golden haired
child-rolling on the floor"
"Come, come, this will never do,
said the doctor "You can tell me al
about it in the morn"
"No, now, DOCTOR" l cried. at il
G coming back to me. Yes, have i
now"
Here is an exact transcript of my
recital as / told it to DR.. Bertram and
later, to the magistrate.
!, You know my passion for natura
h history. Well, scarcely week passe
that do not go into the countr,
Nj botanizing. The day I went to Glae
% nevin, where, as you know, the marsh,
meadows are rich in curious plants
infusoria and diatoms. | was retnrn
ing, and was almost in Dublin with m,
box full of rare specimens, on which
"A expected to make report that woul,
IN astonish the Botanical society, when
saw little girl, certainly not NOR
than 5 or 6 years old, who was al
ca alone, crying as if her little heart woul,
break. | approached her, but at tn
sight of me she redoubled her cries.
could see that the little one was los,
: and that she did not know where t
90, so l spoke to her kindly, and, b,
dint of promising her unlimited bon
bons, got her to tell me that her nam
= was Lizzie, and, that she lived nea
Beresford place in Lower Abbey street
| took her hand, and we soon starte
. off, talking together like old friends
]S She was beautiful child, fresh an,
= rosy, with great candid eyes and fai
hair, which was cut short over he
eyes and fell in golden ringlets abou
,e her shoulders. She trotted bravely along
e. her soft, little hand holding my grea
st ruddy paw confdlngly. As we wall
which figured big, black horse,
!, little knife, doll and number of pee
> pie | did not know.
Lizzie was afraid she would be scol6
ed when she arrived home, but she wa
not, and II was received with trans
~ ports by her mother, who was half dii
n tracted. Never was gratitude express
" ed so heartily and pleasantly. VIII
was /, where did | live, how did l hal
pen to find her, and thousand lik
questions were showered upon me.
"Oh, Mr.. Furniss," said the mother
"you are the savior of my child. Ho,
can we express our grattndeY w
are not rich, but such debt cannot b
s paid in gold, How happy my husban
will be to repeat my thanks to yol
of He is still at his office, but--will yo
Cd do us a great kindness, will you hone
our humble board to morrowl / sha
have a savant here like yourself, an
I you two will enjoy each others con
pany, l am sure. And my husban
1 will be SO happy to have YOU
: thanked her for the invitation an
,ss promised to be on hand.
cd At the appointed hour 1 was show